Jersey City, N.J. - In the midst of his famous NFC championship game rant, or infamous rant depending on your point of view, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman insulted San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree calling him a sorry receiver and not worthy of being mentioned as a top-20 wideout.

Sherman gave no such treatment to Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas this week at Super Bowl XLVIII. The cornerback known for holding no punches threw nothing but compliments toward Thomas on Sunday night.

"I definitely think he's in the top five (of NFL wide receivers)," Sherman said. "He's put together a heck of a year and done everything in his power to put himself in that conversation. He's made the big catches. He's made a lot of runs after the catch and turned small plays into huge plays.

"I think that he's a great receiver, and he's a great competitor. It's going to be a fun matchup between both of us, because we're both intense competitors and good friends."

Thomas' dominating season in Denver's dominating offense apparently speaks volumes to Sherman as the 6-foot-3, 229-pound wideout hauled in 92 receptions for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season. Peyton Manning's top target also pulled in 15 receptions for 188 yards and two TDs so far in the postseason.

Thomas returned the favor Monday morning launching an onslaught of flattery Sherman's way.

When asked what he thought of Sherman's assessment of his status in the NFL, Thomas volleyed back saying, "I respect it. Coming from him, he's one of the best in the league. So coming from him, that's good."

The lovefest continued in the drama-free zone. Thomas said he didn't know where to start when listing Sherman's top traits as the Seahawks cornerback led the NFL with eight interceptions.

"I've been watching film on him and he's just so patient," Thomas said. "He takes his time and he doesn't try to do anything too fast. Those are the best corners, when they're patient. They always have a receiver against them and he's really good at being patient and taking his time."

There's no guarantee Sherman will shadow Thomas on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium as the Broncos passing options remain plentiful, as too does the Seahawks lockdown defenders in the secondary. If matched up against Sherman, Thomas would rather let his play do the talking.

"I'm not going to say 'shut him up,' but I'm going to go out and try to make some plays, so I don't have anybody coming up to me saying I got shut down by Sherman," Thomas said.

Fifteenth try the charm for Bailey: Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey saw no reason to ever attend a Super Bowl if he wasn't playing in the game. Fourteen years, 14 Super Bowls spent on the couch at home.

"I didn't see any reason to go," Bailey said. "I'm not going to cheer for anybody and if I have no special interests in the game, other than being a fan watching it at home, why go? That's the way I've always been."

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey talks with reporters during a news conference Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, in Jersey City, N.J. The Broncos are scheduled to play the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game Sunday, Feb. 2, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

The sunk-in spot on the couch will be vacant this Sunday with Bailey earning his first trip to a Super Bowl in his 15-year career. Bailey said it really didn't hit him that he'd be playing in the Super Bowl until he packed his suitcase and walked out of the house with out Sunday morning.

"It has been a long road, but I'm just taking it in stride," Bailey said. "I'm not trying to hype it up more than it should be. It's still football. You've got to go out there and perform and you've got to prepare just like we always do. Just trying to let everything stay its course and not trying to get over-hyped about it."

A foot injury hindered Bailey, 35, throughout the season as he only played in five regular season games in 2013. But with Broncos starting cornerback Chris Harris out with a torn ACL he sustained in the AFC divisional playoff round, Bailey will likely start on Sunday against Seattle.

"The longevity that he's brought to this game," Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said. "I had him on my MySpace page when I was in high school in maybe 10th grade. This guy has been doing it for a long time, and it's been a humbling experience to see a guy who's been in this league 15 years, and this is his only opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. So, me being a young guy, I'm really grateful, and I'm filled with a bunch of gratitude just for this opportunity."

Anticipation of Harvin's return: Seahawks coach Pete Carroll played coy when asked about the progress of wide receiver Percy Harvin on Monday saying simply Harvin is in the game plan for Sunday.

So signs seem to point at Harvin returning to the field after sustaining a concussion in the NFC divisional round against the Saints. Harvin left the Seahawks' win against New Orleans twice to be tested for a concussion.

"I think (Harvin's return is) huge," Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate said. "I really admire the way he plays the game. He's had some tough breaks this year, but at the end of the day he's had a positive attitude, staying positive. He's ready to go. I'm excited to have him back on the field. He brings another whole dimension to this offense and to special teams. (He is) just another weapon on this offense, another playmaker (and) another guy who can break the game at any point.

Quotable I: "It's like being in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. All I see are cameras, lights and chocolates." - Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett on being in the Super Bowl

Quotable II: "That was amazing. I think I fell asleep at about four Grammy's. It was a really cool thing for our area. A guy growing up in Seattle. He had an extraordinary following locally that nobody knew about and didn't really understand why at the time. The story has been told that we found him on the first night of his Heist tour at our stadium and had no idea what was going to happen. The place was just going crazy because the fans knew him already, and then he kicks off this tour and is arguably the best performer in the world this past year. It was really fun for us. Knowing that he loves sports and he loves Seattle and he's so connected to the 12th man and all that, it's been a blast. He's been a big factor. Every time we score a touchdown we play his music. It's a big deal to us." - Carroll on Macklemore cleaning up at the Grammys